Windshield cleaner control mechanism



Aug. 30, 1938. I E. c. HORTON 2,128,373

WINDSHIELD CLEANER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Mar ch 22, 1955 Fig). 1

as? mamas INVENTO'R Patented Aug-3o, f

PATENT OFFICE 2.128.818 wmpsmnnn CLEANER coNraoL MECH- ANISM Y Erwin O. Horton, Hamburg, N. Y., assignor to Trico Products Corporation, Buflalo, N. Y.

Application March 22,

2Glaims.

This invention relates to an automatic wind shield cleaner and primarily to an improved control for the motor of the same.

The present day motor vehicle is equipped with a windshield cleaner which is mounted within the fabricated structure of the body so that anyregulation in the speed of operation of the cleaner necessitates the removal of a body panel and requires the services of a mechanic.

The object of the present invention is to provide a windshield cleaner which is more satisfacto'ry in operation. It comprehends bringing the regulation of the cleaner speed under the control of the motorist, so that he may adjust the speed of operation of the wiper back and forth across his line of vision to suit his particular desire; and further, the invention comprehends the embodiment'of such regulator in a common control unit with the means for rendering operative and inoperative the cleaner.

In the drawing depicting. one embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a fragmentary showing in plan of a windshield cleaner embodying the present invention; a

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof, and

Fig. 3-is a detailed sectional view of the regulator or governor.

Referring more particularly to the drawing wherein is illustrated'by preference a fluid operated windshield cleaner of a well-known construction, the numeral l designatesthe cleaner motor embodying a piston (not shown) movable back and forth in a chamber by a fluid pressure differential which is alternately reversed through 36 valve mechanism contained in a housing 2, the

mechanism being opened to a source of low pressure through a shut-off valve generally indicated at 3. Such a windshield cleaner motor construction is shown in Patent No. 1,840,233, granted January 5th, 1932 to Henry Hueber. According to the present disclosure the stem 4 of the shut-01f valve 3 is connected to one arm of a bell crank lever 5 by a pin and slot connection SJ The bell crank lever, being pivoted at 'l on the motor casing, has its opposite arm 8 extended to be rocked by the control hereinafter referred-to. Fluid communication between the shut-oi! valve and the source of suction or. low pressure is established by passage 9 which leads through a speed-regulator or governor member generally indicated at M. This regulator may be of any suitable construction and is herein illustrated as comprising a casing having a chamber ll into which passage 8 opens and from which leads'a as second passage I! through a valve seat It, the

1935, Serial No. 12,522 (.01; 121-142) passage I2 being connected to the source of suction, such as the intake manifold of the motor vehicle engine, by suitable tubing. The chamber Ibis provided with a movable wall M which is subjected at its inner' side to the low pressure influence in thechamber and at its outer side to the outside atmospheric pressure, such communication with the'outside atmosphere being established through ports I 5 in a cover plate l6.- The movable wall is thus acted upon by a pressure dif-' ferential and, when the pressure in the chamber -II is of a predetermined low value, responds thereto by moving toward the valve seat l3 to throttle and restrict the passageltherethrough. This results in the modification of the degree of low pressure available at the control valve 3 for the operation of the windshield cleaner motor. To insure a more accurate valve action by the movable wall, a valve plate I! is interposed between the sameand the valve seat, such plate being adapted for movement with the movable wall toward the seat. The composite valve thus formed is urged away from the seat by a spring l8 which is conveniently disposed in the outlet passage l2 and bears at its outer end on the valve plate l'l, while its opposite end is seated upon a regulating screw l9. This screw is threaded into the housing III of the regulator for adjustment and therefore, by turning the screw l9 clockwise or counter-clockwise, the tension of the spring I 8 will be correspondingly increased or decreased. The spring therefore will urge more orless upon the valve plate IT to! resist movement of the latter toward the seat I 3. Consequently the'pressure differential required to throttle the suction passage through the regulator may be varied and determined to regulate the speed of the windshield cleaner for faster wiping or slower, as the motorist may desire.

The adjustment of the regulator, as well as the on-and-oif movement of the shut-off valve, is. brought under a single control and rendered accessible to the motorist so that by a simple manipulation, the windshield cleaner may be started, stopped or regulated to the desired speed of operation as the motorist may dictate. Ac-

cording to the present disclosure this control is illustrated as being of the remote type and embodies a push-pull wire 20 housed within a urge of the spring l8. To this end, the control wire is provided with a tubular end coupling or sleeve 23 which receives the outer end of the regulating screw l9 and is keyed thereto by a radial pin 24 on the screw fitting into a longitudinal slot 25 in the sleeve. This arrangement connects the regulating screw to the wire for imparted rotational movement but permits axial or longitudinal movement of the wire independently of such screw for rocking the bell crank lever 5, I. For this purpose the coupling member 23 is provided with an annular groove 26 to receive the outer end of the arm 8, which may be forked if desired, so that .endwise movement to the wire 20 will rock the bell crank lever and accordingly move the shut oflf valve 3 to a closed or open position. The outer end of the flexible armor 2| may be given substantial support from the motor casing by a bracket 21 or it may be otherwise supported in an accessible position. The inner end of the flexible armor is secured to the motor casing by an anchor clip 28. This assemblage adapts the entire cleaner as a unit for convenience in mounting and installation in the motor vehicle body.

In operation, the normal or imposition of the knob 22 preferably will bethe shut-off position for the windshield cleaner. Therefore to start the cleaner in operation, it is simply necessary to pull out on the control knob and thereby rock the bell crank lever clockwise, in Fig. 1, to open the shut-off valve 3. The cleaner operation may be adjusted faster or slower by'simply turning the knob 22 clockwise or counter-clockwise until the desired speed is obtained without disturbing the shut-ofi valve. The pin and slot connection permits lineal movement of the push-pull control for actuating the shut-off valve and also lineal movement of the adjusting screw during rotation of the latter. Thus placing the two regulating instrumentalities under a single control which is readily accessible to the motorist, it is obvious that the regulation of the cleaner operation will be more satisfactory to the particular motorist and that the changes in the operation readily may be accomplished.

What is claimed is:

1. A windshield cleaner unit having a motor with power shut-off means and speed regulating means, one of the means having a reciprocable actuating part and the companion means having a rotatable actuating part, a. control common to both means whereby the cleaner may be regulated in its speed of operation as well as started and stopped therefrom, said common control embodying a rotatable member mounted for bodily movement, means connecting the member to the second actuating part for imparting rotational movement thereto, said connecting means permitting limited bodily movement of said member independently of the second actuating part and connected to the first actuating part for moving the latter during such bodily movement whereby the operation of the motor may be concurrently regulated and controlled, and means supporting the control from the motor for mounting and demounting as a unit therewith.

2. A windshield cleaner unit having a wiper operating motor with a power shut-01f member and a speed regulating member, both of said members being mounted on said motor and one of said members being rotatable and the other reciprocable, a flexible push-pull control mounted also for rotatable movement, a pin and slot connection between said control and the rotatable member connecting the two elements for rotational movement and permitting relative lineal movement, and an armor for the flexible control for guiding the latter in its rotary and longitudinal movements, said armor being rigidly supported at both ends from the motor, whereby the unit may be mounted and demounted as an entirety. ERWIN C. HORTON. 

